Meet The Alona Decade | Singer-Songwriter & Business Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with The Alona Decade and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi The Alona, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I’m from a small Alabama town called Lafayette. My mother and I moved to Georgia when I was six years old. During my adolescent years in Georgia, I lived in College Park, East Point, and Riverdale. As a child, I had a big family who were always close to the church. There was a common thread between all those cities and the church culture I grew up in: blackness. Colloquialisms, humor, food, and beauty I saw around me made me proud to be Black and from the South. The only thing I wasn’t proud of was myself.

Growing up in the church and singing in the choir always felt special. However, I pushed the feeling away because I wasn’t a powerhouse singer like most people in my family. As they say in the South, my grandmama, mama, father, cousin, and a host of aunties and uncles can all “blow.” My voice was softer, so I didn’t trust it. Add in the insecurity of being dark-skinned and raised by a single-parent who valued academic achievement over creative expression, and overtime, I mastered the habit of suppressing my true self. I silenced my dream of traveling the world as an established entertainer, headed to college, and tried not to look back.

However, upon turning 28, the voice I’d suppressed for years became too loud to ignore. I had no choice but to overcome the fear-based thinking that prevented me from pursuing my dream of traveling the world and sharing my gift of songwriting. I began a journey of confronting colorism and bullying insecurities. I audaciously freed myself from others’ validation, and I gave myself permission to dream again. As a result of my constant introspection, I have begun to heal my heart and liberate my soul. Now I embrace my responsibility to share my experience in the most meaningful way I know, through writing and singing.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Music has always healed and allowed me to find solace in my circumstances. I create music that fully represents my past, present and desired future. Love, God, self-doubt, and confidence. I write and sing about it all. It’s a musical experience that can lead to introspection, sex, a memorable night out, or even praise.

Surrendering through my lyrics requires a lot of vulnerability, but I do it anyway because it’s an antidote, and I welcome the healing and liberation it provides. Even dealing with the raw emotions my lyrics bring to the surface, I still appreciate the depth and passion it brings to my art. Sometimes I’m writing, and before you know it, I’m screaming and ugly crying. My attempt to get myself together ends with me saying, “Sexy! Remember to make it sexy!” Just as quickly, I realize I am nothing more than a vessel. I sing to help others find their own liberation.

That is why I love sunflowers. Every sunflower is made up of thousands of tiny sunflowers. That’s me – one voice, one song at a time, trying to touch and help people all over the world bloom.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If a friend visited me in Atlanta, I wouldn’t pretend to know all the spots because I don’t. Having recently relocated back to the city after living in Rhode Island for eight years, I am still learning new places to check out. However, there are some staples like Waffle House, Atlantic Static and Centennial Park that would definitely get included in the itinerary.

Their travel day would be our rest day, but we’d still eat well. That first night dinner would be at Rays in the City. The next morning, we’d start our day with a home-cooked breakfast. I really enjoy cooking for my loved ones and before we patronize restaurants around the city, I’d want them to eat at my table.

I enjoy being active and finding fun ways to exercise, as do my friends. We’d hike Stone Mountain, grab gelato at Honeysuckle, and from there we’d stroll and shop around Ponce City Market. That evening we’d visit Apache for Nacho Tuesday and an open mic.

Wednesday begans with a delicious healthy breakfast at Waffle House followed by some rest and grounding at Centennial. That evening would likely be an ideal time for me to take them around to play games and parlay with family members. It would be their choice to risk jumping on the spades table, but Dominoes or Uno are safe.

Thursday starts the weekend in Atlanta, so from there it is all about eating and drinking good. Places like Apart 4B, Area 4, and Harold’s Chicken and Ice Bar are a must. If they’re up to it, we may also take a trip ‘between the hedges’. Go Dawgs!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
As an adolescent who was bullied because of my dark skin, my teachers played a huge role in developing my personality and confidence. There was one teacher, however, who had the greatest impact: Mrs. Daniels. If I had known her first name, I would have found her by now just to thank her. The majority of what I wanted and needed as a child was available to me. However, I needed a ton of emotional support that I didn’t always get. It wasn’t for a lack of willingness to give it to me. I truly believe my mother just didn’t know how. Though not in the same household as me, my father was always present and unbelievably proud, but he too struggled to see my insecurities. So, Mrs. Daniels became a second mom.

She nestled me in her arms on days I felt misunderstood by my peers or like a nuisance to my mother. Yet, she didn’t accept my poor attitude and disrespect for authority. She was the right balance between nurturing and challenging. In hindsight, she was my first introduction to shadow work. She taught me how to channel negative emotions into sports, writing and music. While most of my memory of middle school is vague, one thing that stands out is the confidence and importance of emotional security that Mrs. Daniels instilled in me.

Website: https://thealonadecade.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thealonadecade/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dasjah-versailles/

Youtube: https://www.facebook.com/thealonadecade

Image Credits
Richard Brown, Lakeithius Andrews, Daequones Spence